£100k boost for England's Seafood Coast project

A project to create a tourism brand promoting the quality of South Devon's outstanding seafood to the world has received a £100,000 boost.

Work will now start in partnership with local businesses to develop and promote new seafood focused products to specifically target international markets in Germany, Scandinavia, and Holland, as well as plans to also develop a new international England's Seafood Coast Festival.

The English Riviera Business Improvement District Company has successfully secured an additional £100,000 from the Discover England Fund, to continue the England's Seafood Coast project for a further 12 months following a six month research project.

The initiative was inspired by South Devon celebrity chef Mitch Tonks who is a project partner, who said: “The quality and diversity of the fish caught locally off our coast is the finest anywhere, nowhere is the seafood as good. By working in partnership across the Bay through the project, we have a real opportunity to put the English Riviera on the international seafood map. It really is exciting times for the Bay!"

So far the project has engaged with more than 200 local tourism businesses and organisations to map the full potential of England's Seafood Coast. The brand has strong links to local food and drink, walking, heritage and culture and has been identified as having global appeal.

Carolyn Custerson, project director and chief executive of the ERBID Company supported by Rebecca Davies as project co-ordinator from the Torbay Development Agency said: “We are very excited about this second stage of the project which will allow us all to develop a number of exciting new visitor experiences to promote to target markets.''

England's Seafood Coast is one of a number of projects to benefit from the Discover England Fund. The fund is administered by VisitEngland and is a central government funded programme of activity, supported by match funding from partners in the public and private sector.